Conditioned Avoidance Learning in Two Fish Species

Abstract

Goldfish (Carossius auratus) and Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) were compared for learning ability in a dark-avoidance shuttle response with shock as the UCS. The goldfish were significantly superior in learning ability. It was suggested that differences in the response of these two species to novel, aversive stimulation may account for the observed differences in avoidance learning ability.